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Bored on the phone? Beware Jerk-O-Meter

Ever wonder if that spouse, friend or co-worker on
the other end of the phone is really paying attention? The "Jerk-O-Meter" may
hold the answer.

Researchers at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing software for cell phones
that would analyze speech patterns and voice tones to rate people — on a
scale of 0 to 100% — on how engaged they are in a
conversation.